By Alva “Bobbie” Davies

A very funny man, and general prankster, with great patience with children, but no time for teenage boys. Girls could do no wrong.

It is believed Bill arrived in Australia in 1922 as a youth with little more than a suitcase and a violin. This marked the beginnings of the male line of the Davies’ clan in Australia. Bill’s Great Grandfathers’ sister, Ann Maria Davies, arrived as early as the 1880s and settled in Bendigo. I am trying to trace that line.

Early Years

William James Davies was born on 23rd January 1905. His old passport tells us that he was 5'10” had black hair and brown eyes. (Passport in ARCHIVES BOX.) Bill was born in Tipton, Staffordshire, England, on 23/1/1905. His father was John Henry Davies, and his mother was Florence Emma Davies (nee Townsend).

Apparently he was not a very strong child, and during his childhood, his parents were advised to let him join the Harriers: the assumption being that it would either cure him or kill him. Bill had a pampered and protected childhood, living mostly with his doting grandparents, whom he was very attached to, especially his grandfather. He had suffered from rheumatic fever, which only improved when he took up cross-country running. Perhaps it was a good thing because Bill lived till the age of 92, and kept very good health most of his life. He also learnt the violin, and later on did a bit of boxing.

Education

Bill was to have gone to college, but to his relations’ disappointment he decided to start work. His first job was with one of the first motorcar firms called the Sunbeam. It is believed that he attended the Dudley Port State School, and had the chance to go to college, but, chose to go to work instead. His parents were very disappointed, having fitted him out with a new suit of clothes just for college. He had many interests when a youth, mostly the Harriers and music. He could play the violin moderately well, and bought his instrument to Australia with him when he migrated at the age of 17. He had led a very protected childhood, being spoiled by both his parents and grandparents.

Travel to Australia

By the age of seventeen, he decided to try his luck in Australia. It is hard to imagine what made the young lad leave home and travel to the other side of the world alone. To date, we are still unclear as to what prompted this dramatic decision.

During the voyage he earned some pocket money by boxing in the shipboard competitions. He also related how an Algerian fisherman tried to abduct him en route off the coast of Africa (see article ‘Once an Englishman’ by William Martin Davies).

After arriving in Victoria, he looked about trying to find employment, and the first job he took was up the remote country area of Westmere. Here he had many adventures, and made a lot of mistakes, as he was no farm hand. However, the fact that he could play the violin stood him in good stead, and he was invited to play at the local dances. (See attached article by William Martin Davies).

Later on, after many adventures in the bush, Bill got a job for a few weeks, at the Ford Motor Company at Geelong, where he earned enough money to get him back to Melbourne. He moved into lodgings in St. Kilda, and started working for McDonald Engineering Works. Seeing the depression causing the closing of many works, he managed to get another job with Messrs. Burkhardt and Bain, at 11 Hood St. Collingwood as a General Engineer. This proved to be a good move, because he didn't lose one days work in all the depression years. At one point he had two jobs concurrently and slept between jobs under a boat-shed ramp in St Kilda (he feared losing either job during the depression). Later, he made automobile armatures for Lucases in Cheltenham, then opposite present-day Southland Shopping Centre.

Marriage and Family Life

Bill met his future wife at a Crazy Whist night, and later on, with his father-in-law, spent many a night playing draughts at one of the clubs in Melbourne. Bill and Mary Iliffe Lauder were married on 3/8/1929 in East Melbourne at Trinity Church. I believe that the day of his wedding, Bill caught a steel splinter in his eye, and had to go to his wedding, and honeymoon, with a bunged up eye (see photos attached). Mary and Bill spent their honeymoon at the Warburton Chalet. They lived mostly in Chelsea at “Rehsif”, 3 Chadwell Lane, Chelsea.

I was told, in later years, by Pop, that he, trying to impress his future mother-in-law, had bought a glass jug, which he was assured was unbreakable, so, he knocked on the door of his mother-in-law’s house, and when she came to the door, he went to present her with the gift, and pretended that it slipped out of his hand, and, of course, it smashed into a thousand pieces. He said that Mrs. Lauder thought he was more of a fool than she previously suspected.

During the early part of their marriage, it was lean times with the depression affecting almost all families. Bill managed to hold down two jobs during this time, leaving for work very early in the morning and coming home late at night. He was always interested in horse racing, cards and gardening, and remained so all his life with the exception of the last two years before he died.

In ARCHIVES BOX: 1929 Marriage of William James Davies, age 24, bachelor, Fitter, of 40 Jolimont St, Jolimont, to Mary Iliffe Lauder, spinster, age 24, of Jolimont St. Jolimont, at Trinity Church, East Melbourne, on the 3rd August, 1929. William's parents were John Henry Davies and Florence Emma Davies. Mary's parents were George Frankston Lauder and Mary Lauder.

In the ARCHIVES BOX, there are some medals belonging to Bill, a Union Jack Club badge, and some cigarette papers (Bill was a lifetime smoker), also, in the Funeral Remembrance Book on William James Davies, is a article on Bill's life written by his grandson, William Martin. In the family photo album there are some pictures of Mary and Bill's wedding that were printed in the Table Talk, and The Graphic magazines in 1929. Also there is the marriage certificate of Bill and Mary.

Bill died at the Frankston Hospital on 14th December 1997, age 92. He died of heart failure and general old age. He was cremated at the Springvale Cemetery.

Bill had two sisters:

—Sissy who died as a baby
—Gertrude M. Arthur Breeden (two children: Pamela Stackhouse nee Breedon and Philip Breedon)

Bill married Mary Iliffe Lauder on 3/8/1929 at East Melbourne at Trinity Church. They lived all their lives in Chelsea.

Physical characteristics, Personality and Medical History

Bill was approximately 5'10' tall, brown eyes, olive complexion, black hair and average build. He had a quick, short temper. He didn't suffer fools gladly, but for the most part was a very funny man and a great favourite of all children. He also was a very popular figure in Chelsea.

He was a very healthy man all his life despite rarely exercising and smoking from age of 14 to the age of about 80.